Admittance
by Shizune-hime
Summary: Reno's always loved Cissnei. Cissnei has always seen it, though never reciprocated, but she doesn't quite feel the same because of one particular thing she can't get over in her life. Setting: after events of Advent Children. Finally finished! R&R. :
1. Let's Talk Over Coffee

_**Author's Note: **__First CissneixReno fic of mine. Ugh, one of my favorite pairings ever. 3 Two redheads. Sha-weet!_

_**Warnings? Anything?: **__People might think the setting for this is STILL around the time of Crisis Core, but actually no. Setting is around after AC/ACC._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix. _

**Chapter One: Let's Start With Coffee**

The after-effects of the stigma left Midgar – Edge – still in ruins. At least one-fourth of the city was still in bad shape, but as much as possible, everyone helped out in making everything better again. The Shinra Electric Company's headquarters was rebuilt and employees were able to go back to work; retired employees voluntarily asked if they could remain in the company, to help rebuild the company's reputation. Of course, their president, Rufus Shinra, gladly accepted their offer, and gave the best support he could to them.

… The company's covert operations, the Turks, were busy as always. Everyone was as busy as bees, walking to and fro from one end of their designated floor to another, even crossing to other levels of the building to deliver reports or paperwork. But not one such individual, who was a well-known redhead Casanova but never failed to do the job right. He expertly wore the goggles on his head like it was just a bicycle helmet – and he was leaning back with a cigarette in his mouth, a leg arched on the other, in that manly cross-legged fashion. Shirt buttoned-down halfway and no tie, everyone could easily identify him in a crowd.

His reverie was cut short in the lobby, however.

"...Aren't you supposed to be filing papers for Rufus, Reno? You've been awfully late with your work and you know it."

The redhead, his arms sprawled and lined along the top of the sofa, looked behind his shoulder with a cigarette in his mouth. Reno could see Tseng approach him from behind.

"I get headaches, yo. Don'tcha get headaches with paperwork? I'd be amazed if ya didn't," Reno replied. A puff of smoke escaped his mouth, to which his eyes squinted at. He took the cigarette between his fingers and grinned as Tseng frowned, watching him, and took another quick drag and exhaled. "I'll do the papers later, yo. Gotta relax for a lil' bit." Reno winked at Tseng, trying to hint he was lucky he could get away with trouble yet he was still hardworking.

"Hm." Tseng sat on an armchair next to the sofa Reno was on. He grabbed a newspaper from the rack nearby. "Make sure to submit your reports to me on time… protocol, Reno."

"Yeah, yeah..." Reno waved it off with a frown. "'Dun worry 'bout it, yo."

Just then, the elevators nearby rang open. Employees from the research and materia departments came out, but the one that stood out the most from all of them was a certain redhead, her arms crossed and in a suit. Reno finished his cigarette, hearing the familiar rhythm of her footsteps on the marble floor. "Well!" He dabbed his cigarette off on the ashtray nearby. "Gotta go, Tseng! I have a date, yo."

"I heard that."

Tseng smiled slightly as he saw her, then proceeded to read his newspaper. Reno, on the other hand, grinned to himself. Cissnei, approaching, tried to hide a smile, too afraid to admit that she was amused by Reno, since Reno always had the impression she never really liked him. "I'm only having coffee with you. That's not really considered a date..."

"Well considering how it's just the both of you, I'd say it is," Tseng remarked. He stood up and eyed Cissnei, who only kept quiet.

Reno sensed something in the air between them but didn't really say a word, only slipping his hands in his pockets.

Tseng cleared his throat. "Done with your papers, Cissnei?"

"Mm." Cissnei nodded. "I'll... submit them later—"

Reno grinned at her remark; it was a reflection of what he told Tseng himself. "Well, let's go, yo! Only an hour left for the break." He offered his arm to Cissnei, like a gentleman would. Cissnei only walked past him, to which Tseng chuckled. Reno frowned and followed Cissnei.

... The two exited HQ quietly, neither of them really talking in the process. Cissnei wanted to wait until both of them reached the coffee shop, wherever it was Reno decided to take her to. Reno, on the other hand, was the chatty type, but didn't know exactly where to start. He was trying to read Cissnei first, so as to be careful with whatever it was they were going to talk about. When Cissnei rounded the corner and began to walk down the line of small café's and restaurants, Reno quietly watched her and followed her, staying right behind like a bodyguard.

"Ya alright, Cissy?"

She nodded. "Just... have a lot of things on my mind."

"…Hunh..." Reno caught up and decided to stay beside her. He wasn't really good with situations like this. So instead, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure ya wanna let `em out, yo. Things like what, sweets?"

Cissnei frowned. She wasn't one to share her innermost thoughts, especially with men... especially with Reno. She knew this was one of his gimmicks to catch her attention, to make her his. Cissnei shrugged her shoulders softly, instead, motioning for Reno to take his arm away from her. "...Nothing. Just... things I shouldn't be thinking of."

"...Ohhhhhh..." Reno smirked. "Sounds like my kinda string o' thoughts, yo! Wanna share?" He waggled his brows, but Cissnei nudged his stomach hard, sending him wincing through the pain. "OW. OWW. Hey, that hurt, yo!"

The redhead female pouted. "Well hey, you deserved it." She smiled as she walked into the coffee shop and came up to the counter.

Reno, right outside, winced and massaged his stomach... then he smiled, his head tipped back in that usual, confident style. This was what he liked about Cissnei, and intrigued him so much about her. He'd dated so many girls but she was very different. He knew, from the moment he saw her years ago and she was young when she'd join the Turks, that she was the wrong person to mess with. She was quiet, most days, but she was a soft girl and when she giggled, though not often... man. The chime in her voice made him smile every time. He liked how he'd say something pretty crude and she'd frown or pout, then like earlier, punch him in the guts or pinch his ear or wherever part of his body she could do that. Then he'd make a comeback, and they'd both end up smiling. He liked the whole "let's bully each other, but make up after 2 minutes" sort of thing. Especially with her. Reno liked how she'd make fun of him when he'd do something stupid, even.

...But would she ever reciprocate the feelings he had for her? Reno rubbed his nape, knowing it wasn't going to happen.

He followed in, pushing the glass door open. Reno received a few stares and glances here and there - he even saw a table of two women sitting across each other, and they both grinned and whispered to each other as he came in. Reno grinned back, and even winked, to which he liked seeing the girls get so enticed about, but it was nothing personal. Cissnei was watching, even if she had her back turned to him. And he didn't want to disappoint. Sure, they weren't on an official date, but still. He really wanted to take the time out today to get to know each other.

Cissnei motioned for the both of them to sit at a coffee table with two loveseats facing each other, just by the wide glass panel window. Reno sat across her as they waited for the coffee. "This is good," he noted with a smile, "ya led me to where ya want. I like that. I like a girl who knows how to make decisions, yo."

…The female redhead put a gentle hand to her mouth, and chuckled.

Reno blinked. "What'sa matter, yo? I say somethin', Ciss?"

"No... no, it's not that," she replied. Cissnei chuckled. "Just... well… I always come to this place. Alone, usually. You always go to the beerhouses and strip clubs; you never come to coffee shops. So I decided to swerve you here. After all, the last time you entered a coffee shop, I think, was…" She pondered, and caught herself when she realized what she was thinking of. "Mm," she started again, and shook her head. "Well… you know what happened then."

"Wha? Hey, I go to coffee shops, yo! Ya just never see me." Reno winked. "I like coffee too, ya know. Just don't drink it much unlike the rest o' the Turks." He shrugged. "Dunno. Coffee jus' was never my type, ya see."

"Hm... coffee is... calming." Cissnei nodded, looking around the area. "I'm not a coffee lover myself, but I do love the drink. It's soothing. The warmth of it is very different from what you get with alcohol."

"Ahhh. Heh... yeah, I agree. Not the same, yo, I know that…" Reno frowned and looked around, trying to hide it. He didn't want to elaborate on the alcohol; everyone in HQ knew how reckless he was with it – heck, even Rufus did too. If Cissnei knew more than just the fact that he was quite the alcoholic... he wouldn't be surprised if she walked away from his life - tomorrow, in an hour, or a second from now. "I like the warmth, but coffee's jus'... for the sophisticated types I think, ya know?"

"So I'm sophisticated, then?" Cissnei chuckled. "Not quite… actually." She shook her head. "Reno, even the quietest of persons have their own demons to defeat..."

Reno felt this "innate" sort of twitch in him when he heard that from her.

"…which, we _wouldn't_ want to talk about anyway."

Cissnei quietly cleared her throat. Her eyes darted to and fro, as she watched people converse and some sort of relaxing afternoon music played in the venue. Reno raised a brow even as he looked the other way, his elbow on the armrest and knuckles covering his mouth. The female Turk took a deep breath, exhaling very quietly, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. She took out her phone, checking through her messages quite nervously, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Of course, that plan failed. Reno was very meticulous when it came to women. He knew how women were already, knew what to say to make them blush, knew how to tease them, knew how to make them feel submissive. He just had a way with them.

Reno smirked. "… Yer blushin', yo."

"Huh?... Pfft."

When Cissnei looked away, Reno held that smirk in place. "…What's on yer mind, yo?"

"Nothing—"

Reno tried not to smile wide. "Alright, alright…" he said, trying to sound convinced, "…no it is, then. If ya say so, babe."

… Despite the fact that she had that barrier up and she was probably thinking about how successful she was in fending off the redhead mischief, Reno knew she failed. Because he saw right through her, and he liked it when she was vulnerable. He liked it when she was able to break past the barrier she set up about setting her emotions aside, because he envied how she acted whenever a mission came up about that SOLDIER cadet anyway. But where was he now? Ever since his passing he'd noticed a void about her. He felt a face in himself frown at the thought – why was the world so unfair? Why is it that when you like someone, that person oftentimes never really gives back what you try to show – or give away to him or her – and they choose someone else to show it. Then that 'someone else' reciprocates the same amount of feeling the person you like exerts, and it makes you wonder…

… Did the cadet ever like her back? It made Reno wonder like a nail driven through wood.

In any case, after he noted the classic "if you say so" line, Cissnei didn't say anything after that. This time she was serious about checking her phone. No missions, no follow-ups, no orders… nothing. Tseng usually sent her these at a certain hour of the day – and it was that certain hour of the day but nothing came. The Turk figured Tseng wanted to give her and Reno some time together…

_What the hell. Tseng knows better than that._

…which, was ridiculous, admittedly. Cissnei frowned at the thought. Every Turk knew that any soft emotion – love included – wasn't in the handbook. Tseng could have told her to just pay attention to her paperwork and scold Reno, but… he didn't. In fact earlier, when he noted about her and Reno being together for the day, he sounded like he was even urging her to go on and spend the day with him.

In reality, she had heard stuff among colleagues about what Reno thought about her but she never really confronted the idea within herself. She thought it was just… well… unlikely to happen, though not entirely impossible. The fact that Reno was unstable with such issues regarding himself – like alcohol – was something she couldn't tolerate. Not to mention, he was quite the well-known – if 'notorious' wasn't the perfect word – ladies man. He was a bit of an aggressive chump when he did his job, but he did it so well he got away with it.

Quite the opposite, for her. Reno could slack off and he could get away with almost anything. Every other Turk, however, had to be watched to be able to perform their job well. Unfair, to say the least, if not called "favoritism".

But Cissnei set that aside for the meantime. What mattered was the here and now – they were spending time together… which, they had not done so in a long time. The last time they spent time together at a coffee shop, after all, was after Zack had died.


	2. This Is My Confession

_**Author's Note: **__... Just that I got teary-eyed while writing this chapter. =( Had to evoke canon Reno in this. Wooo~_

_**Warnings? Anything?: **__Nope, none. No smut or anything in here._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix. _

**Chapter Two: This is My Confession**

… Their coffee was served, and the pair took their time to stir their cups warm. There was an awful momentary silence between them, neither knowing what to say or how to start a conversation in that very moment. Weird, actually, for one such as Reno, who was so talkative with women and a natural charismatic guy. Not weird, on the other hand, for Cissnei, who liked to talk as well but wasn't as charismatic as Reno.

Now Reno wondered why, in the first place, Cissnei bothered to take him here. It was nice that she led the way – even if he was a ladies' man, the "ladies first" rule applied to him as well – but he also thought that it was rude of him to think so; however, he always believed that coffee shops were for conversing. And they weren't talking now, were they? He wanted to say something, but what, really? He wanted to get to know her better, become more than just a colleague to her, but—

"…I might quit the Turks."

Reno immediately raised his head and blinked. "…Yer kiddin' me."

"Nope." Cissnei stared into her cup quietly.

Reno studied her. _She's smiling…_

"I'm not kidding." Cissnei stirred her coffee quietly, then took a sip when it was warm enough.

… It wasn't like Reno didn't know her for a long time anyway.

Here he was, much older, and he could still remember the very first day when Cissnei entered the Turks. He could still remember how she entered the floor and made her way to Tseng's office on her first day of reporting – the very first day he saw her. Reno could still remember how she smelled like jasmine as she passed by. The Turk could never forget that day – he thought at that time she was another girl added to the list of female colleagues he could hit on, but as days passed, he'd figured out her personality, and found that she just wasn't the type to be classified under that list. She was very different from 'Shotgun', from 'Knives', from 'Martial'. So he stopped trying. Besides, it didn't feel right – she was much younger than him then and it would have seemed like he was a pervert. But try as he could it was just beyond comprehensible that she was unavoidable, because all the time, he would be assigned to accompany her, alongside Rude. So at his best, he tried to hold his feelings back.

Cissnei, on the other hand, saw in Reno's eyes that he didn't want her to go, that he wanted her to stay and be strong.. She wasn't so blind so as not to see that Reno really did care for her, in all these years, but many times she wondered if he was ever _genuine_ about how he felt for her. Men like him treated the world as his playground, a sea of people as his toys. It was rather impossible to take away the temptations of alcohol and women around Turk men – as long as they did their job, they get paid a lot and they could do whatever they hell they wanted. But what she could never deny, was that she did like him – she knew that much, but she had to put her job first before such other issues. After all, Turks were taught to put their emotions aside first, because feelings distracted one such individual. And once one was distracted, their job performance would be greatly debated on and criticized. Then the company would kick them out, or criticize them heavily for not being "strong enough". Turks were, after all, expected to be the best covert operation in the company.

"A-…Are ya sure, yo? I mean…" Reno mustered a smile, but couldn't. This was a fellow Turk leaving – Turks treated each other like family. Once one left, the rest would be devastated. "Babe, ya know it'd be kinda hard to come back to the company an' all," Reno reminded, frowning. "Ciss, ya don't have to quit. Ya can jus' ask for a break—"

"I don't want a break," Cissnei replied, looking at him with a sad smile. A pause, and Reno cleared his throat. "…Well… I do. But not just a vacation… You know how hard it's been on me, Reno." She shrugged slightly. "I've been in the company long enough. And it's been years, but I'm… still…" Cissnei shook her head. "It doesn't feel right. You know, Zack's death. I've been feeling guilty ever since…"

"… That's years ago, yo. He's dead."

Cissnei was quite surprised to hear that from him. But she always knew Turks were meant to shrug things off – death included – but she just wasn't like that. "That doesn't ease the pain of his death, you know that." Cissnei stared at him hard in the eyes, and sipped her coffee again. "You can't imagine how hard it was for me to watch him die. I'm sure you remember that day. "

Reno felt his stomach churn. He sighed, indeed remembering that day. He was in the chopper, with Rude, Cissnei giving them instructions. He damn well knew what the hell she'd been through. "Must'a liked him so much, yeah?... Can understand why. Fair was a good kid."

Cissnei stared at him. "…That ex-SOLDIER, Strife. You know him, personally, right? He looked up to Fair quite understandably as his mentor, as his angel. I could imagine him still having a hard time comprehending everything, even up to now…" She sighed. "The Lifestream knows what could have helped him defeat the general…"

"Sephiroth ain't no general, yo. He's a monster." Reno blew his coffee and took a sip.

"A _misunderstood_ monster." Cissnei shook her head again, drank down her coffee. "He had… a wing. Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none… not monsters." She remembered saying that years before, and still believed it until now. "The point is, Reno, I'm quite decided on leaving… and there's no going back."

"Y'know, if you're leavin', I'd be glad t'ask the president to hold a party for ya," Reno suggested. Cissnei raised a brow at him. "I mean… yer always in the shadows, yo. Ya never come to the drinkin' parties or get-togethers we have an' we keep lookin' for ya… especially me."

"Why would you be looking for me?"

"`Cause quite frankly, yo, I like ya. Dunno if it's obvious, but… I really do, yo."

And there she was. She was caught off-guard. Cissnei looked up from her cup and stared at him, but decided not to say anything. What was there to say? Here he was again, saying things, and here she was wondering if he ever meant them.

"Remember when we met Zack Fair by the fountain, yo? Was sorta jealous, ya know… 'specially when you kept followin' him after that." Reno rubbed his nape.

The female Turk watched every move he made – and saw that he blushed. But he scowled, and as quick as a knife flung out, he regained control of his emotions, she could see, but at the same time went on with his confessing.

"Weird, but… see, I like how we act like kids, I like how we fight an' make up after a minute or so, yo. I like how ya walk by an' never pay attention, sometimes, ya know." He chuckled. "I like makin' ya smile, and the way ya smile. I like your hair, yo. I like your eyes, an' when ya talk to me, I like list'nin to your voice. Sometimes I even call your cellphone just t'listen to that message 'fore I can leave one on your voice mail… jus' t'hear your voice, yo."

Cissnei blinked, and was about to smile. But she could see the affection Reno showed… and she felt a dug among her heartstrings. However, she just couldn't believe it. Was this really him? This didn't seem like the typical playboy Reno was.

Reno's blue eyes searched into hers. "I like how you make fun'a me when I do somethin' stupid. I like how yer quiet, even, ya know. I dun' mind that you've been shunnin' or ignorin' the flowers I send. I jus' wanna get 'em to ya an' make yer day brighter. The fact that ya receive 'em makes me happy. Same with the choc'lates. I dun' mind if ya even give 'em to an animal or t'someone else. S'long as you get 'em first an' ya smile whenever ya see 'em."

"…Reno…"

"I mean t'say, Ciss… I've always been… around… an' you were always lookin' for Fair, yo. Everytime his name's mentioned… y'know, you're always happy an' stuff. I never get t'see you like that 'round me."

… Cissnei felt guilty. The two fell silent. Reno caught himself before he could open his mouth and add more. He felt a surge of disappointment in him, but held back. He didn't want to hurt her. And then Cissnei felt an urge to compare, in her head, but she held it back just the same, because it just didn't seem right.

"So am sorry for sayin' that Fair's dead, but… that's the truth, yo, an' ya know it. He's probly livin' his life there in heaven or wherever he's at an' he's happy he ain't in pain 'nymore. Basically, Ciss, I'm not reproachin' ya for clingin' to what's gone – I know what it's like, yo. Lost my family 'fore I was taken into the Turks. Am just sayin'… am here for ya. S'why ever since he's been gone, ya know, I've been tryin' t'get near ya. Always tryin'. T'comfort ya, t'be there for ya. But… I dunno if ya see that."

"I…" Her fingers immediately fidgeted with themselves. She felt a twist in her stomach and a soft sigh escape her mouth. "Reno—"

"Ah…" Reno caught himself and chuckled. "Nah, Cissy, ya dun' have to say anythin'." Reno waved it off. "I understand, yo. `Guess I have t'be in SOLDIER t'catch yer attention. Maybe I'll buff m'self up an' take a chance, huh?" Reno shook his head, taking a moment for himself. By now uneasy, he finished his coffee and called for the check, deciding to pay for their orders.

"…You don't have to—"

"S'alright, babe… am used to it, ya know," he answered, mustering a smile. He stood and slipped his hands in his pockets. "Sorry, but… I have to go, yo. Papers are waitin'."

As the redhead Turk walked out of the coffee shop, the other stared at her half-finished cup. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, watching him tread down the sidewalk as he disappeared from her view.

Reno felt bad for leaving Cissnei back there in the coffee shop. But he couldn't help deny his feelings. He felt some sort of tug in his heart that he'd never felt before, especially about her. Habitually, he rubbed his nape and shook his head, annoyed now and wanting to get drunk. He'd been shunned before by women in his life, but this was far beyond the usual that he'd grown accustomed to. Because he was always around. He'd never left her side. How could she not see it? She was always around too and now that he decided to take the chance with her, she was still looking the other way. Why? Well this was quite unfair, wasn't it? Reno deciphered that he probably deserved this, for being a player. After all, he was getting old, and he didn't have much time left… which, added to the advantage of the whole misfortune, he felt.

Reno entered the building without a word, proceeded to ascend the elevator to the Turks' floor. Now the second-in-command of the Turks, he had his own office to lock himself up in and spend the day away with his paperwork. Half an hour left for break time, it seemed.


	3. The Thinking Turk

_**Author's Note: **__Pretty short chapter, really. In contrast to the title of the chapter, to be honest I wasn't really able to think deeply for this scene. I think the last conversation in this chapter was a bit "shallow", quite, at least, but… it leads or helps to the transition, as always. Hmm…_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix. _

**CHAPTER THREE: The Thinking Turk**

… Cissnei still sat there by the window at the café, and ordered a croissant and another cup of frappucino for herself. No messages came and neither did calls from Tseng. She was pretty much alone now in dealing with herself, and all she could ever do was muster up a smile… like always. But Reno crossed her mind and she didn't feel at all good about earlier. She felt guilty, as she could admit to herself, for not paying attention to him like he did with her, and realized that maybe the reason why he had so many women was that he was really just looking for love, like everyone else. That it didn't matter whether he was hurt, or left… because he liked to touch and to be touched, and it made him feel alive.

But earlier's conversation didn't relieve her at all. She felt all the more guilty. True, there couldn't be anything left to bother herself with considering how Zack was already gone, but… Reno was here. Always around. He never died, despite the many times death tried to claim him due to missions. He always smiled, always tried to talk to her, and did little things to show her he cared. Like take her out to lunch whether it was with Rude or the president, ask her what she was up to after working hours, even send her funny text messages or give her a call around the wee hours of the morning. She tried to count how many times she shunned him, how many times she said she didn't feel like talking, and felt worse, despite how Reno seemed to take it like it was alright for her to do that to him.

She finished her croissant absent-mindedly.

"_I mean, I've always been… around… an' you were always lookin' for Fair, yo. Everytime his name's mentioned, you're always happy an' stuff. I never see you act like that around me, ya know."_

… The words replayed in her mind. Her eyes softened, and she felt like she was punched or nudged in the gut. She rubbed her forehead gently, and when she raised her head, she saw two women in the corner whispering to each other while looking at her. She glared at them, thinking they were probably thinking Reno was her boyfriend, and they had a love quarrel.

… Boyfriend.

Could Reno go that far? Cissnei couldn't imagine it. But, fair play to all the women he was with – she'd seen him interact with them because he'd bring one everytime she went out with Reno and the rest of the company, Reno was a _lover_, in the word's most literal sense. He was very affectionate, caring, responsible, and he took care of his women – if they needed something he'd be glad to give it to them, and all they needed was to ask for it. Reno didn't have a problem with giving, and everyone knew that: he was one of the most generous Turks in the company, knowing how to give back since he gained so much.

So how come Cissnei didn't give him a chance? Only because he had many women?

_Shallow of me._

She frowned, thinking of him. How could she take him seriously if he had many women and everyone knew, everyone saw, including her? Quite a normal reaction, wasn't it? And besides, she could imagine what the other must be thinking while he was out with one of them – they'd probably be frowning, annoyed, but of course, as everyone knew, Reno would make it up with… well… sex. And from what she'd heard, he was _really_ good.

Cissnei rolled her eyes, shunning the idea away. But she blushed. Because she could well admit to herself that she, too, was vulnerable to thoughts like those. Of course Reno was sexy. Who could ever deny his sex appeal? Heck, who could ever _deny_ him? She could admit to herself too how fiery he was, just with the eyes. A single glance or a wink, a smirk, could set her off guard. She too loved the way he carried a 'disheveled' look, especially with the goggles on, or a pilot's headset. She just tried to rein her emotions in all the time because she always put her job first. But there were also times where she caught herself… thinking of him… in the most unusual of ways ever.

Coughing and clearing her throat quietly, she finished her now-almost cold-frappucino. She paid for her meal and left, embracing herself snugly against the wind.

Softer thoughts crossed her mind. She smiled to herself appreciating how they'd actually treat each other – they'd banter like brother and sister but never really took the jokes as offense with each other. It was easy to say she loved being around Reno – he was undeniably fun, and relaxing to be with. He was very gentle with her, sometimes even going to the point where he was flirting too much, but who was she to say? Reno was still… vague.

It wouldn't hurt to take a chance with him now, though, would it?...

… Quietly she made her way back to HQ. As she pushed one of the familiar glass entrance doors and her heels clicked onto the marble flooring, she raised her head and saw Tseng from a distance. He was _still_ there, reading the newspaper, his hair let down in that familiar way everyone could identify him.

Tseng raised his head and looked at her from above his newspaper, flipping over to another page. He locked eyes with Cissnei, who didn't say a word, but only sighed. The superior blinked, and watched her walk past him. From how she was looking, things didn't seem to go so well with Reno.

"…Cissnei."

Cissnei stopped in her short walk to the elevator and felt her jaw clench. She sighed, and turned to face Tseng. "Yes, sir?" she responded.

Tseng folded the newspaper neatly and set it aside, stood up and slipped his hands in his pockets. He walked over to her, and gazed down at her, locking his eyes onto hers. Cissnei tried to avoid the eye contact, her eyes quickly shifting to something else. "Had a good lunch break?" Tseng asked.

"…Mm."

"Lying." Tseng chuckled. "Typical, for a Turk."

Cissnei kept silent.

"I quite, very much, applaud you for that, to be fairly honest."

Cissnei frowned slightly, and it wasn't difficult for Tseng to notice. "Nothing happened."

"I'm sure. Reno wouldn't lay his hands on you." Tseng neared the panel of up and down buttons on the wall nearby, for the elevator. He pressed the "up" button and Cissnei waited behind him, arms crossed. "…Or maybe he would."

"That's… pretty much not funny at all."

"I wouldn't let him, so don't you worry about a thing."

The Turk blinked.

Tseng smiled, focused on the steel elevator doors. "He should know better than to mess with a prodigy like you." The doors opened, and with a firm palm he pressed on the doors that slid back into their sheaths. "After you," he said, motioning.

Cissnei stepped into the elevator, which was empty by now. Tseng followed after, standing next to her, and the doors closed. She reached over to press the designated button for the Turks' floor, which lit up, as expected. There was a lingering silence between the two – it wasn't like this before. Cissnei thought, it was the ranking that made things different. Ever since Tseng became the leader of the Turks after Verdot had gone off to wherever, her friendship with Tseng was influenced. No longer could she talk to him like normal; she had to address him as "sir"… unless the atmosphere between them was quite comforting, and it wasn't business-like. Like now. But she didn't really wanted to talk to Tseng about the issue with Reno; she wanted to talk to Reno herself.

"…Cissnei, if there's anything you'd like to talk about—"

"I know where to find you." Cissnei stared at her own reflection in the elevator doors. She smiled slightly, looking at him through his reflection. "… Raced you to that one." She chuckled.

"Clever girl…" he commented, nodding with a slight smile. "But… there is truth to that. You know very well."

The elevator emanated a 'ding' sound like the usual, and stopped smoothly at the designated floor for the two. The doors opened, revealing a fluorescent stream of light from the wide office space. Turks were talking, gossiping, having coffee, some were sleeping. When Tseng left the elevator and Cissnei followed, walking to his office, the female Turk quietly decided to make her way to her cubicle. But before she could, Tseng turned around and faced her, smoothly turning in his step.

"You know, Cissnei, I might just have you partnered with Reno on a mission soon."

Cissnei scowled. _I'd rather you don't,_ she thought, _I don't want to be paired with a drunkard…_

"Why not…" She cleared her throat. "Gladly, I would take the offer and do my job."

Tseng pondered, blinking. "You and him have a very amusing friendship, you know that? You both banter like fraternal twins and yet correlate like yin and yang…" he said, grinning afterwards. "Not so many Turks here get along like that."

"No offense. But are you going to give me a medal for it then, sir?"

Tseng chuckled. "No, but…" He eyed her, a gentler expression across his face. "…How could you ever deny love?"

Cissnei relaxed and crossed her arms, looking around. She could see Shotgun from Knives' desk space, waving at her. Cissnei ignored, and in the corner of her eye she could see the two girls whispering to each other. She had to ignore because what her boss said lingered in her mind.

_Love… _Cissnei thought. _Love is when you give the person your whole attention… not play around with people's feelings. _She sighed at the thought. _But… he's never played with me… ever… or at least I haven't seen him do so._

"It's not like I never noticed, Cissnei… when you came through those doors I knew he told you already how he felt. Though, he'd been noting it too before, to be honest."

The Turk raised a brow. "Seriously."

"Seriously." Tseng said, eyes meeting hers.

_He's pretty serious then._

"Ever since a long time ago, when you first entered the Turks and you were really young. He just couldn't make a move because he was conscious of himself… his age… and that you'd probably think he was a pervert."

_Whoa. _Cissnei blinked, a grin setting onto her face at Tseng's remark. "Well, it's not like he isn't…"

"Obviously, like any other woman, you'd be surprised. But… think about it. When something quite wonderful is offered in front of you, I say take it. Just like a good salary offer." He smirked and chuckled. "…Cissnei… Reno's more than what meets the eye." Tseng gave her a gentle smile, and opened the door to his office, closing it firmly after.

Cissnei was left standing on the carpeted floor. She looked down the hallway, and at Reno's office door. The smell of alcohol faintly seeped right out, from inside.


	4. Influences

_**Author's Note: **__Man. I sorta cried as I wrote this chapter; I guess it helped with a certain scene in here… I guess you'll see which one!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix. _

**CHAPTER FOUR: Influences**

… He wasn't going to do it.

Reno convinced himself that, at least. No, the Turk wasn't going to tip that bottle up again and drink till he was numb. Nope. Not today. As expected and as always, Cissnei would be banging on the door soon, and would be bombarding him with countless lines of nagging – only because she was concerned. She was always like that. So why would he even try to do it? He didn't want to disappoint her. Cissnei was a comfort, to him. She was something that helped without calling her help, a friend that he wanted forever, like Rude and Rufus and the few spatterings of others, but...

… He'd never have her. He knew that much. And on this particular day, he didn't want anyone's help.

Reno had tons of paperwork to bother himself with, as he promised himself, but he just couldn't. He couldn't get his mind off her. A part of him wanted to take her face as gentle as possible and make her look at him in the eye, make her tell her, "I've always been here." Another part of him just wanted to push her away, until she'd come and offer him her help because he'd _always_ take that help anyway. He'd come crawling to her. But… now, he was confused.

He began to tear up. Unusually, for him, anyway.

He'd known Cissnei for years, always been there for her, looked after her whenever she had missions, and of course he was hurt that she noticed him but didn't bother to _look_ at him. Reno wanted to think she was just like any other woman he'd met in his life but no. She was different. As Rufus and Tseng would tell him when they'd have conversations, Reno and Cissnei were the "yin and yang" of the Turks. She was his better half – disciplined, refined, and kept him in line. Cissnei was possibly the most beautiful redhead he'd ever known, the most fun as well, which only a few would see. And he was lucky to be one of those few.

"…For fuckin' fuck's sake…"

He sniffed up and rubbed his eyes clear, scowling. Reno paced the room, restless about what happened earlier. Giving up, he finally marched to the cabinet near the black leather sofa in his office and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. Sitting down at his desk and staring at the paperwork before him, without hesitation he popped the bottle open and inhaled the scent. He smiled to himself and glugged down until he felt that familiar burn in his abdomen. Placing the bottle on the leather-bound top of his office desk with a thud, he sighed, feeling that heaviness in his body. No words escaped him as he took out his cigarettes and his zippo lighter, and lit up the end. As he leaned his head back on the top of his office chair and exhaled, letting the abhorrent smoke seep out and into a cloud from his mouth, he thought of the conversation earlier.

"_It doesn't feel right. You know, Zack's death. I've been feeling guilty ever since…"_

Reno closed his eyes, finishing his cigarette. He dabbed it off on the ashtray and lit up another for himself.

_Guilt._ What a feeling. Reno would know what guilt was, he blew up the Sector 7 plate after all, years ago. He's killed people, left and right. He's betrayed people through negotiations. And then a thought crossed his mind.

They were practically the same.

Of course, that was aside from the fact that they were both Turks. Reno now understood why Cissnei felt so guilty about Zack's death – she looked after Zack for so long; she wasn't necessarily by his side but she would look after him even from a distance, ask people around how he was faring with his missions, was around to guard or guide him, from a Turk's point of view. Just like Reno, how he helped protect the company, and then blew up the plate while _working_ for that company. Cissnei tried to smile all throughout, even despite the troubles and the guilt. _Yin._ And here was Reno, resorting to the wiles and vices of the world. _Yang._

Reno wondered if she thought or felt the same, too. He stared at the door, wondering if she would ever come around at all.

… Shaking his head after a few minutes, he drank deep from the bottle again… just as always.

But right outside, she was there now. She frowned at the smell of the alcohol, her hand ghosting over the doorknob. Cissnei wondered if it was right to just leave him alone to his misery or to accompany him in there, whether she'd drink with him or not. She didn't want him to resort to the one thing she knew he was already used to, but scared her as well. She was unfair, she knew, but she was also aware that it wasn't too late to make up for it either.

… Now she realized how important he was to her. After all, Reno had been there for her always – even rescued her one time when she almost fell off a cliff, she could remember, and even caught her when she tripped along the way. If she was alone in her own place he would ask if he would come visit but she'd decline, but nonetheless he'd try to message her or call her to make sure he kept her company. He'd send her chocolates or a small bunch of flowers to her home and Cissnei would only tuck them away, but it wasn't like she never glanced at them once in a while, and think of how fervent Reno was…

And what about Zack? He was gone, yes, but she still carried the guilt of not being able to save him and of trying to set aside mercy and kill such a good-natured person just because "she was doing her job". It wasn't right. Not at all. That's why she let him go, let him run off and take the vehicle she snatched off from the company. Then he was cornered by a whole bunch of Shinra troops. And that's when he died, and she watched from afar as she wasn't able to save him. Then years later, here she was, still in the company and being able to carry all that guilt on her shoulders, all the while hoping that Zack would forgive her. But of course, the dead SOLDIER wouldn't be able to answer her, which ended up with her contemplating on leaving, hoping the burden would be washed away. Being a Turk had its cons… especially guilt.

She shook her head. She _was_ looking the other way, when she could have just directed her gaze forward.

Cissnei knocked on the door then, after she found that it was locked. She could hear the opening and closing of cabinet doors from outside, and the clinking of glasses. The Turk knew that the playboy redhead was drinking. _Again._ Of course it shouldn't be a surprise, but considering the situation earlier, she didn't feel so good hearing this… _smelling_ this.

"Reno…"

From inside, Reno scowled as he took a long swig of the bottle.

"Open the door. Please?"

The spirits from the liquor and the air from the bottle made him gasp quietly for breath, his chest heavy. He cleared his throat and stood up from his seat, then staggered slightly to the door, bottle in hand. Cissnei could hear his shoes clicking against the mahogany floors, and she wasn't at all pleased. The smell wasn't so faint now. She sniffed the air and knew it was whiskey.

Reno threw back the small deadbolt and pulled open the door slightly ajar. The cigarette in his mouth, smoke screened his view of Cissnei before him. He puffed it away and took it between his fingers, inhaling. He took a deep breath for a second and exhaled, away from her. His eyes turned to slits as he smiled – a sleepy-drunk smile – at Cissnei. The girl waved the remaining smoke away. She wasn't happy.

"Heya, babe. What brings ya here? Wanna drink, yo?" he asked, raising the bottle at her.

Cissnei frowned. "…No." Then that frown turned into a concerned scowl as she saw him, all disheveled and reeking of alcohol. "Put that away… I need to talk to you."

"Yeah? Heh." Reno scratched his head and looked at her. "Can't decline an offer, yo."

Opening the door wide, Cissnei walked past him and looked at the room. It was dim, the overhead fan quietly humming along as Reno closed the door and locked it. Outside she could see the sun hide behind the clouds but it was sunny, enough to give the atmosphere a warm yet breezy, calming ambience. Reno moved to close up the venetian blinds and Cissnei didn't mind, considering how many times she'd been here before – only, those times were because Veld had asked her to be Reno's partner, and when Tseng became the leader of the Turks, he did the same to her. Or, he asked Cissnei to check up on Reno, leading Reno to… well… flirt with her. Just like he would with any other woman.

She wasn't at all innocent, that was for sure; she's had her own share of pretty much 'dirty' talk with fellow female Turks and sometimes even bantered with some of the other boys, Rod included. But those times, she never really took personally. Just the usual office talk, the random spewing of jokes like everyday employees would ever really make in the usual setting. For this day, however, if Reno would ever flirt with her she didn't really mind. Slowly she mustered up the confidence to surrender to him – not entirely, but at least one flirtatious comment at a time. Cissnei cleared her throat at the thought.

"Come sit 'fore ya overheat, Cissy-sweet," Reno said as he sat on the edge of his desk, chuckling. He set the bottle far to the side so he wouldn't hit it. He smiled that certain smile again. "So. What brings ya here, babe?"

Cissnei stood before him, eyes searching his own. She felt really bad that he had resorted to this, and in her head she prayed that in the long run, one day, he would stop. "…I just… wanted to apologize for earlier," she said softly. Reno frowned. "I know we've… never really been on good terms regarding that." She gave one nod, and Reno remained quiet.

_She didn't have t'come here for that, yo, _he thought. _The hell? She knows damn well we could jus' sleep it off an' it'd be gone by t'morrow, yo.. It'd pass._

"S'fine, yo," he said flatly, with a shrug. Cissnei wasn't convinced, both could see, but he didn't care. He wanted to continue. "Am used to the usual let-down, ya know. S'all normal in the life of a man, an' I'm sure ya know what I've been through."

Cissnei scowled. "I didn't want to leave this hanging. It's not fair. I'm not being fair." She saw a glass by the couch nearby, and walked off to get it. "It just…"

"Just?..."

She went back to the desk and filled her glass with the liquor Reno drank, from the bottle. "It didn't feel right." When the glass was half-full, she drank it straight up. Reno watched, blinking. Cissnei felt the stinging heat in the back of her throat, and took a deep breath quietly. "I'm sorry I… looked the other way," she noted, and filled the glass up again. She downed it quick, and Reno was surprised. She locked a gaze with him, filling the glass up again.

For every apology, she filled the glass, and downed the liquor. Reno couldn't take the bottle back from her or try to speak, because she wouldn't let him everytime he tried to reach out.

"I'm sorry I'm not acting as you're expecting me to. I'm sorry I don't flirt back, because I don't think flirting is genuine enough unless it's done with someone you love whole-heartedly. I'm sorry I don't call back, or reply back to your messages most of the time, because I don't know what _you_ expect from me, because I'm thinking most of the time you're just playing."

She felt hazy by now, her eyes stinging with tears.

Cissnei tried as much as she could not to break down in front of Reno. "I'm sorry I won't leave you alone right now, because I'm guilty for still liking a dead man, and I'm guilty, and you're right here. I'm sorry I don't look at you, or take a so-called 'second glance', because you're off looking at other women."

"Cissnei—"

"I'm sorry I'm going to quit the Turks, because I can't take all this guilt anymore. I'm sorry for being guilty. I'm sorry for being this weak. I'm sorry for picking on you, I'm sorry for acting like shit most of the time. I'm sorry for being stone-hearted." The whiskey was strong. _Well damn it, I'm already drunk,_ she thought, but didn't care. Cissnei felt like she was going to slur with her words, and like the world was spinning, but again, she didn't care. Almost stumbling to the floor, now swaying, she held onto one of the seats in front of Reno's desk and continued on with a sad smile. It wasn't that she hadn't drunk before to leave her this disoriented… the moment called for it. And if it took this much to catch his attention…

"I hope you can forgive me, but if not, it's fine. I'd… I'd understand." Cissnei stumbled to the floor like a marionette doll. "But, I'm just not as strong as you think."

Reno watched her. The haziness that the liquor gave him disappeared, and he rubbed his eyes clear. He looked at the bottle – it was almost empty. He sighed and looked at the girl standing before him, thinking of all she said. Tears were about to form in his eyes just as well, because he couldn't bear to see the girl he cared about doing this to herself.

_Well dammit, _he thought, _s'not like I dunno what you've gone through, yo. I know how hard it is t'be a Turk. I know how hard it is t'carry everyone else's crosses. But ya didn't have to do this, yo._

"There." She noted flatly. "Are you happy? I'm getting drunk just like you do everyday. I'm confessing what I really think most of the time. If you want me to, I can kneel and beg—"

"No, yo." Reno took the glass and bottle away from her gently, coming over to kneel in front of her. Cissnei didn't look at him, watching his dexterous fingers take away what she'd tried to consume as much as he did. "Don't. I dun' wanna see you doin' what ya don't deserve to do, what ya shouldn't do, yo. It's not for a pretty Turk like you t'be kneelin' an' beggin'."

Cissnei didn't know what to think of it. "So you don't forgive me then? I understand—"

"No…"

Cissnei nodded.

Reno leaned in, caressing her cheeks dry. "I dun' have t'answer that, Ciss. Because ya don't have to apologize, yo."

Slowly, he let his lips linger – ghost against hers, for a while, waiting for her to make a move. She smelled of alcohol now too, to which he smiled at as he kissed her. Cissnei felt an exclamation point alert in her head, but she didn't deny the move. Her eyes fluttered closed, and Reno deepened the kiss, inhaling quietly, to which Cissnei sighed. Without further ado, her hand reached up and caressed through his hair, down to his scalp, and she felt Reno groan in her mouth. Reno's hand ghosted along her hip, then slid and held her lower back gently, pulling her closer, and Cissnei set her palm behind her on the wooden floor to support her.

Reno thought of the situation as a perfect chance to let Cissnei know how he really felt, but a part of him felt like he didn't want to do this at all, knowing she'd somehow only react to it as just another move to catch a woman in his personal net of collections. But he knew, as much, that the kiss was real – real enough, hopefully, to make Cissnei feel he meant every ounce of feeling he had as he confessed earlier and maybe even more. He felt Cissnei grasp his hair gently, and when he realized she was pulling him against her, he smiled as he cut the kiss. Both stared into each other's eyes for a while, hazy… but not because of the alcohol at all. Only because both realized they were yin and yang – darkness and light, conflicting, but neither could really avoid each other.

"…If ya keep this goin' babe, I might have to take ya home," he murmured, nuzzling her lips lightly with his. "That is, if ya don't mind." Reno chuckled.

Cissnei couldn't help but melt at the contact. She nuzzled his lips back lightly, letting the feel of her linger on him. "Well I don't mind taking the chance…" she noted, locking her eyes with his, "…if that's what you mean, yo."

Through the nuzzle and her muttering, Reno smiled when she tried to imitate him. Cissnei, on the other hand, couldn't help but innately admit to herself she liked the contact. And Reno pulled her closer, much closer, until her legs parted to give him room in leaning forward and their unisex coat-covered stomachs were flush. He wanted to kiss her again, but when she pulled his hair back and he groaned then moved forward immediately to kiss her again – to push her down against the mahogany floor, both were lost in a haze of intimacy and well-kept passion now revealed.


	5. Closure

_**Author's Note: **__Well damn. Rawr! ;D You know, around chapter 5 I wanted to write some smut for the two but I guess I'll just have to start off light. It's not that I can't write smut, of course I'd try, but I suppose a few pairing stories should be.. 'teasers', if you will. This is the last chapter of the story, and I hope you had fun reading as much as I had fun writing this. CissneixReno, game-wise, is one of my favorite pairings. Woowoo!_

_**R:**__ Ya sure ya wanna end this? Could do some good to gimme more screen time, yo!_

_ Erm, this isn't –screen time-, Reno, it's really just... well… writing time._

_**R:**__ Ya gonna write more 'bout me then? *waggles brows*_

_ Yeah, sure, why not? I don't mind. Anything for my favorite redhead. :3  
__**R:**__ WOO-WOO!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or its franchise, in any way possible. All characters and mentioned names belong to Square Enix. _

**Chapter Five: Closure**

_**Cissnei.**_

"Wha-…?"

_**Cissnei!**_

Cissnei rubbed her eyes clear. She sat up to white, some place she'd never really encountered ever, before. She looked at herself for a moment – she stayed the same, wearing the same Turk uniform. She walked around, but everything was just white. No tables, no chairs, no bed, no windows… no four walls. Nothing. Just a clear, and endless void of ivory.

Cissnei scowled. She ran, as far as she could, hoping she would bump into something, just to know this wasn't real, because she suddenly remembered that people usually said if they saw a bright light they were in the afterlife. Huh? Impossible. Extremely impossible.

_**Hey. What're you looking for?**_

She recognized the voice. Her eyes widened and when she turned around, the cadet she wasn't able to save was standing there, arms crossed and his hair slicked back. He wasn't really leaning onto anything, but he had that playful grin on his face and he walked over to her. Cissnei didn't know what to do, then. But when she watched him make his way over to her she smiled sadly and wanted to cry. It was good to see him again, of course. And for once, in the many years after his death, she didn't feel so guilty at all.

Zack Fair stood before her, and raised a brow just about to smile. Cissnei fidgeted with her fingers, hands behind her back. "So," Zack started. "What've you been doing since I left, hm?"

Cissnei nodded. "Deskwork, mostly. I'm actually glad that for a few years now, I'm not out on the field doing covert work, unlike the rest. It feels… heavy… sometimes, when I… do my job." She wondered if Zack was an empath, and knew what the hell she had been going through for years now. "And you?" 

"Oh you know, just floating around in time and space, watching over people…" He walked around, arms still crossed. He had a calm smile on his face. "…Comforts me, sometimes. That I'm still able to look after the ones I love and that matter to me, even when I'm gone…" He paused, as if to recollect. Cissnei watched his back, quietly noting to herself that she missed him. "…Parents still in Gongaga?" he asked.

"Mm." The Turk nodded. "As always. Quite elderly now, but… they're doing okay…" Cissnei remembered their conversation from years back, when they were both in Gongaga, the whole ordeal about Zack finding a future wife. Cissnei smiled, wondering if he had ever found a bride, even in the afterlife. "…I could visit them for you, if you'd like," she chuckled softly.

Zack turned to her and smirked. "Well… you could do that. I give you permission, now." He wagged his finger at her, to which the Turk just rolled her eyes at. He walked over to her, then stopped, his frame towering over hers. Zack's blue eyes met hers, and he searched in them, trying to see her heart, somewhat. "And you found someone new, I'm sure?"

Cissnei snorted. Zack laughed. "What's wrong now?" 

"Reno," she said knowingly.

"He seems like a pretty friendly guy, to me."

"Yeah, well…" Cissnei walked away from him, turning away and frowning. "…Men like him, sometimes you don't know what the hell's going through their minds. Like if they're serious or just joking around. World's a playground, for them."

"Hey, the world was a playground for me too!"

"Zack, not like the way he puts it. Yours was your aim to be the best SOLDIER. He was aiming to be…" Cissnei paused for a moment, then frowned. "Oh I don't know." Then she muttered, "The best ladies' man."

"…Ahhh." Zack smirked. He came over to her and put an arm loosely around her shoulder. "You're concerned he's a playboy."

"He's old enough to not play around already! He should settle down. Makes you wonder if he's ever genuine, that's what."

"Makes you jealous, you mean? Hm, I wouldn't be surprised. Somehow you were quite like that regarding—" 

Cissnei turned and shrugged his arm off, and scowled at him. "Don't pull that off on me."

"By the tone of your voice, Ciss, I'd confirm you are!" Zack grinned wide and tapped her nose. Cissnei tried to bat his hand away, but she was quite too late. Zack only smiled. "…Like I said… I've been watching… and I'd say he's pretty darn stable and sincere."

Cissnei sighed quietly.

"…And, like the elders say, you never know until you try. Take a chance, why don't you?" He put his hands on her shoulders, and squeezed them gently. Cissnei listened as Zack's voice became softer… comforting.

"Cissnei… don't feel so guilty anymore. I'm fine."

"…But…"

Zack raised a finger. "Ah-ah-ah!" He pressed it against her forehead lightly. "…I know what's racing through your head. And don't think about it anymore. Maybe it was meant to be? Maybe it wasn't? Who knows…" He smiled at her. Cissnei felt like her heart was ripped in two, and then mended back again slowly. "…Things happen for a reason. But that episode? It's over now. Time for a new one."

Cissnei didn't know how to react, but just as she was about to open her mouth, Zack held her close for a minute, and kissed her forehead. She was speechless.

"…_You'll be alright."_

----------

… The overhead fan humming quietly, her eyes opened as quick as a turn was made by the propellers. When her eyes relaxed, she rubbed them clear, soon finding herself next to Reno on the mahogany floor, their own pieces of clothing pressed beneath them. Cissnei raised her head and found that Reno cuddled her close to his chest. She could hear him breathing, and she watched as his chest heaved slowly.

… _Dream… _Cissnei felt her heart sink slightly, her stomach churn as well. _Zack…_

She looked around. No white light, no nothing. The room was dark. And by how she made out things, apparently she and Reno made love in the office until the late hours of the evening. Damn him for not turning on the light, but she just thought that the lights from the building outside reflecting back in suited the ambience. They streamed through the blinds like points of light, and Cissnei smiled.

Reno groaned, still asleep, and turned over to her side, and she lay her head back down, facing him. Lazily, she traced a nail lightly down his nose. He wrinkled it then sniffed up, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his expression.

"… I think I'm going to stay…" she noted quietly, caressing his cheek. "Someone just gave me a reason to."

Reno, right in the line between sleep and awake, smiled. "Good, yo." He pulled her close. "I can have ya anytime I want, then."

Cissnei punched his shoulder – not too hard, but enough to give him a bruise.

He frowned and reached over to his punched bicep, massaging it. "Owwwww."

"Crybaby. You deserved it."

"Nah, I didn't. You wouldn't let me, yo. Not unless I proved it to ya."

And, well, Cissnei smirked, to which Reno did the same. He opened his eyes and stared at her.

"…I love ya, baby," he noted, reaching to lace his fingers with hers. "Really do."

Cissnei wondered for a minute if he really meant it. "…You sure? Would be a drastic change, you know… especially for you, in contrast to what you're used to…"

"I don't mind, yo," he said. "'Bout time I made a change, too." Reno nodded. "'Sides… I'm gettin' old… I think I _need_ to, yo."

Both sideways, Cissnei leaned her lips onto his for a minute and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him closer until their skins were flush. Both smiled, and gave each other soft kisses.

Cissnei nuzzled her nose with his. "Age is just a number."


End file.
